Flush type lid



April 1965 s. w. AMBERG 3,179,283

FLUSH TYPE LID Filed April 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR .Srs msw WMBEQG.

April 0, 1965 s. w. AMBERG 3,179,283

FLUSH TYPE LID Filed April 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR SrEPHE/v WflMBE/QG.

United States Patent fiice 3,179,283 Patented Apr. 26, 1965 3,179,283 FLUSH TYPE LID Stephen W. Amberg, St. James, N. asslgnor to L ly- Tulip Cup Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 272,050 Claims. (Cl. 220-66) This invention relates to lids for closing containers of paperboard or the like, and more particularly to such closure lids as are of the flush, snapover type.

Lids of the flush, snapover type are generally known. The lid is intended for use in closing conventional paperboard or plastic containers which have been filled virtually to their brims with comestibles or the like, such as ice cream, cottage cheese, etc., the extent of filling being such that lids of the so-called plug type, which interfit the mouth and occupy a substantial volume at the interior of the container, cannot be used. That is, the. top portion of a flush type lid lies substantially within a single plane extending fully across the lid area so that, when applied to a container, it lies flush with the uppermost periphery of the container at its mouth, and resembles a diametral plane of the container, whereas the top portion of a plug or insert type lid includes a central annular portion which dependsinto the container to engage the interior periphcry, and extend across the interior of the container at an elevation considerably below the uppermost periphery thereof. In a flush type lid of the snapover type there is a depending annular skirt surrounding the flat top portion, the skirt including an interiorly disposed annular bead along itslower edge to provide snap fit engagement of the lid at the underside of the conventional beaded rim of the container.

Such flush, snapover type lids have not been complete- 1y satisfactory for use where in production capping operations it is desired to automatically and successively feed individual lids from a stack thereof within the magazine of a so-called coin feed type of lid dispenser, which usually operates in conjunction with a capping machine. In such coin feed dispenser operations, the lowermost lid in the stack is pushed laterally of the stack by a flat push plate or the like which enters the magazine from the opposite side. Moreover, and to assure free fall of the lids within the magazine as successive lids are dispensed, it is usual that the diameter of the magazine be somewhat larger than that of the lids which aretherein contained.

The difiiculty in dispensing the prior known flush, snapover type lids using such conventional coin feed dispensing apparatus lies in the fact that segments of the rim portions of adjacent lids in the stack tend to become interlocked or partially nested. due to handling of the lids in loading the magazine and to jostling of the lidsas naturally occurs during the dispensing action as well as to the natural tilting and spreading of the lids within the wider magazine, and therefore jamming occurs when the dispenser mechanism attempts to slide the lowermost lid, in lateral direction, off, from the bottom of the stack. This deficiency has proven a great handicap to the practical usefulness of flush, snapover type closure lids.

Since nowadays it is more often preferable to make such lids of plastic such as polyethylene, polystyrene, or the like, and because such lids must be .produced at very low cost, the problem in solving the referred to deficiency was complicated by factors s'uchas providing 'a lid construction which is fullysusceptible to forming by conventional injection molding or thermoplastic, sheet forming methods, and which does not involve an appreciably greater amount of plastic material than is used in making a conventional fiush,jsnapover type lid Of course, it is axiomatic that the lidconstruction must be such as will be wholly satisfactory for the type of closure intended to be made thereby.

The present invention provides a flush, snapover type lid as may be made of either injection molded or thermoplastic sheet molded plastic, and which is fully effective for its intended closure purpose, yet incorporates features providing entirely satisfactory automatic feeding thereof from dispensers of the coin feed type as has been described.

Briefly describing the invention, an annularly disposed container rim engaging channel is provided by a relatively narrow, annularly extending and depending ridge formed at the underside of the lid and which lies in radially spaced relation with respect to the conventional depending peripheral skirt of the lid. The height of the depending ridge may be the same or somewhat less than that of the depending skirt, depending upon the presence or not of other features in the lid as will be referred to herein. In the preferred embodiments to be described, the width of the rim engaging channel, as determined by the distance of spacing in radial direction between the depending peripheral skirt and the depending ridge, is such that when the lid is applied to a container the ridge will substantially reside between the container and the contained comestibles. That is, the nominal width of the rim engaging channel is substantially equal to, or only slightly greater than that of the peripheral bead at the mouth of the container which provides the conventional container rim which the channel engages.

In a modified form of the invention, the referred to depending annularridge is not continuous, but is provided by a plurality of annularly spaced apart ridge segments or elements, for a purpose as will be described.

It will be seen that the depending ridge construction at the underside of each lid prevents the aforementioned undesirable interlocking of the lids when arranged in a stack, and permits conventional coin feed type lid dispensing apparatus to strip a lid from the bottom of the stack without possibility for jamming either between adjacent lids, or between the two or three lowermost lids and the wall of the magazine.

Moreover, the invention is adaptable as will be described so as to be applicable to both injection molded and thermoplastic sheet molded type lids, even though these are considered to be basically different lid types, involving bascially. different methods of conducting lid forming operations.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, when taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, partially in cross-section, of a container having an injection molded lid in accordance with the invention positioned thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an underside plan View of only the lid as is included in the FIGURE 1 showing;

FIGURE 3 is an underside plan view of a modified form of injection molded lid in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional side elevation of a coin feed type of lid dispenser, and showing a plurality of the lids of FIGURES l and 2 as they would appear Within the'magazine of the dispenser;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE .1, but showing a container having a thermoplastic sheet molded lid in accordance with the invention positioned thereon;

FIGURE 6 is an underside plan view, to a reduced scale, of only the lid as is included in the FIGURE 5 showing;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but showing the coin feed type dispenser having a plurality of the molding process. in radially spaced relation with respect to the depending amazes 3 the lids of FIGURES 5 and 6 as they would appear Within the magazine of the dispenser; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view from above, and to a reduced scale, showing a modified form of thermoplastic sheet molded lid in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings, it should be understood that the thicknesses of the materials have been somewhat exaggerated for clarity.

Referring first to FIGURES 1-4 of the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows only'the upper portion of a'container 10 which is made of wax coated paper or the like, and which has a conventional beaded mouth rim 11. The mouth of the container is closed by a flush type lid 12 which is of the so-called snapover type, and which is made in accordance with the present invention. To serve its snapover function, the lid 12 includes a downwardly turned peripheral skirt 13 which includes an annular skirt bead 14 along its lower edge for the purpose of engaging the underside of the bead Ila at the container mouth rim Ill, as is conventional. depends a substantial distance below the lid surface plane as is defined by the substantially flat central portion 15 of the lid 12. While, as seen in FIGURE 2, the skirt i3 is shown as being continuous, it will be understood that it may also be formed by a plurality of similarlydepending segmental lengths, as is sometimes preferred.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1-4, the central portion 15 includes an annular top bead It? disposed peripherally along its upper surface, the top bead 16 serving any conventional purpose such as imparting additional strength to the lid, providing increased stacking ability, etc. However, forthe purposes as will be hereinafter described, the annular top bead leis provided with a gradually sloping side surface 16a at its interior facing side, and with reference to its cross-section. At its opposite, exterior facing side 16b, the top bead 16 has conventional circular shape.

The lid I2 in its embodiment as shown in FIGURE 1 is made of injection molded plastic material, such as polystyrene or polyethylene, having a general thickness of about 0.30 inch throughout. As will be later described herein, it will be seen that a lid incorporating the present invention may also be made of vacuum or pressure formed polystyrene sheet material, provided certain modifications are included in the construction.

For the purpose of preventing interlocking, or partial nesting between adjacent lids when they are disposed in a stack as illustratedin FIGURE 4, each lid 12 is provided with an annular ridge 17 as will be fully understood by a comparison of FIGURES 1 andZ, for example. As is the depending skirt 13, the annular ridge 17 is formed integrally with the lid central portion 15 in The annular ridge I7 is disposed skirt 13, thereby providing a channel I? therebetween for receiving the mouth rim 11 of the container in the manner shown by FIGURE 1. Moreover, the annular ridge 17 projects downwardly from the general plane of the lid central portion 15 a distance which is substantially equal to the distance of downward projection of the skirt 13 from the same plane; That is, for the purposes intended, the respective heights of the skirt 13 and ridge 17 aresubstantially the same excepting that, in the illustrated embodiment. wherein the lid central portion 15 includes the annular top head 16 along its upper surface, the ridge 17 is shorter than the skirt 13 by a distance which is substantially equal to the height of the top bead 16. .While apparently not absolutely essential, this slight dilference in height isbelieved'to further facilitate coinfeeding of thelids from a stacked formation thereof in a manner as will be later described. difference in height, if the height of the top head 16 above the uppermost surface of the lid central portion 15 is The skirt 13 be about .023 inch. shorter than the corresponding dis tance of projection of the skirt 13.

In the preferred embodiment, the distance of spacing in radial or lateral direction of the annular ridge 17 from the skirt I3 is such as will provide free clearance for the mouth rim 11 of the container within the channel 19. It will be seen that the conventional snapover type of closure engagement between the lid and container is not interfered with, yet the very narrow annular ridge 17 is disposed substantially between the container 10 and the comestible item, generally indicated by reference numeral 13, as is contained within the container. Thus, the an nular ridge 17 will not interfere in any consequential manner with the disposition of the comestible 18 within the container. The comestible I8 completely fills the container 10 to its brim, and the flush-type nature of the lid 12 remains unimpaired.

The lid 12 is applied to the container 10 after the latter has been completely filled with the comestible 18. To provide free passage of the comestible through the annular ridge 17 in the event of initial overfilling of the container, the annular ridge'may be modified as shown in FIGURE 3. That is, rather than extending continuously around the lid as shown in FIGURE 2, the annular ridge is formed by a plurality of annular ridge segments 170..

When a lid 28 in accordance with the modified embodiment is pushed down upon the filled container 10, any surplusage of the comestible may escape from the container by passing through the interstices between the ridge segments 17a and thence over the mouth rim 11 of the container. Although the ridge segments 17a are shown in FIGURE 3 to be arcuately shaped elements, it will be understood that'such arcuate shape is not essential to the practice of the invention. That is, these ridge elements may take the form of a fewer or greater number of generally protruding ridge elements, whether the same becylindical, straightwalled, or other equivalent shape, so long as'a sufiicient number thereof is provided for the intended purpose, and so, long as the total volumetric displacement of the same is not appreciable.

It is seen that lids in accordance with the present invention will not interlock or partially nest together when they are in stacked formatiomand that they slide freely in lateral direction with respect to each other. Thus,

7 0 Illustrative of this .020 inch, then the distance of projection of the ridge 17 below the lowermost surface of central portion 15 should they are susceptible to being stacked within the magazine of a lid dispenser, and to being dispensed therefrom by the so-called coin-feeding method. Referring to FIGURE 4 there is shown by diagrammatic illustration a lid dispenser of the coin-feed type, generally indicated by refer ence numeral 20. The dispenser 20 includes a cylindrical magazine 21 for containing a stack of the lids 12 and,

as is customary, the diameter of themagazine 21 is substantially larger than that of the lids 12 to insure that the lids drop freelytherewithin as each lid is successively dispensed from the lower end of the stack. In the dispensingoperation, the lowermost lid 12:: is pushed, by a push-bar 22, in lateral direction out through a lid outlet opening 23 at one side of the magazine 21, the push-bar 22. entering the. magazine through an opening 24 at the opposite side thereof. The lid slides on a flat surface, generally indicated by reference numeral 25, as it is pushed out of the magazine, and it will be understood that operating means (not shown) are provided which cause reciprocating movement of the push-bar 22, fully across the diameter of the magazine and then return, for the purpose of successively dispensing the lids.

While the lids are within the dispenser magazine 21, and partly due to the difference of diameter between that of themagazine and that of the lids, any lid, such as the lid 1212-, may become randomly misaligned in the stack. It will be seen from FIGURE 4 that, regardless of the I extent of such misalignment, the annular ridges 17, of

both the lid 12b and the lid 12c thereabove, prevent any interlocking of the respective skirts 13, or other partial nesting of the adjacent lids one with the other. Thus,

t jamming of the lids in the stack, or jamming of the lids at the lid outlet opening 23 is prevented. Moreover, it will be understood that such interlocking or partial nesting of the penultimate lid 12d with the lowermost lid 12a cannot occur at any time during the course of movement of the lowermost lid 12a out of the dispenser.

By a study of FIGURE 4, it will be understood that the sloping side surface 16a of the top head 16 of the lowermost lid 12a and the slightly shortened height of the annulat ridge 17 of the overlying lid 12d cooperate to insure that these elements will slide easily, one with respect to the other, as the lowermost of the lids is pushed out of the dispenser.

Referring now to FIGURES 5-8, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in a flush-type lid of sheet plastic material, such as polystyrene, which is thermoplastically formed as by either the conventional vacuum or pressure forming methods. The upper portion of -a container 10 having a lid 3t! in accordance with this modified form of the invention is shown by FIGURE 5. The comstible item within the container is indicated by reference numeral 18, as it was in FIGURE 1.

, Referring first to FIGURES 5 and 6, the lid hasa substantially flat central portion 31, the same generally defining a plane surface of the lid. The thickness of the sheet plastic is about .020 inch. Surrounding the periphery of the central portion 31 is a downwardly projecting annular skirt 32, having a depression formed skirt bead 33 along the lower edge thereof for the purpose of snapping the lid 30 into its engagement with the container 10 at the mouth rim 11 of the latter. As in the previously described embodiment, the skirt bead 33 engages the underside of the conventional container bear 112. Here again, the peripheral skirt 32 projects downwardly a substantial distance from the lid surface plane defined by the lid central portion 31.

It will be understood from a comparison of FIGURE 6 with the cross-sectional showing of FIGURE 5 that the lid 30 is provided with a downwardly projecting annular ridge 34, the same being relatively narrow, and being formed integrally with the central portion 31 during the molding process. The annular ridge 34 projects downwardly a distance from the lid plane surface equal to the corresponding distance of downward projection of the skirt 32, there being no top bead along the top surface of central portion 31 as in the previously described embodiment, and is spaced in radial direction from the skirt 32 to provide a container-rim engaging channel 37 therebet-Ween as in the previously described lid embodiments. A transparent, crystal polystyrene top sheet extends fully across and is bonded to the uppermost surface of central portion 31, either by heat sealed or adhesive attachment. The thickness of this sheet material is about .003 inch. The central portion 31 is provided with a central aperture 36, formed by cutting a disk-like area therefrom, so that a window appears in the lid, the comestible 18 being viewable through the overlying transparent top sheet 35.

As regards the present invention, the essential purpose of top sheet 35 is to continue the plane of the central portion 31 across the hollow at the top surface of the lid as occurs upon depression formation of the annular ridge 34, thereby providing a completely flat top surface of the lid. However, and as will be understood from FIGURE 8, the top sheet 35 may be dispensed with in a modified form of the thermoplastically formed lid, this modified lid being generally indicated-by reference numeral 40. That is, rather than being continuously extending as shown in FIGURE 6, the annular ridge may be formed by a p1urality of annularly spaced apart depressed ridge segments 34a, leaving a plurality of undepressed portions 34b disposed alternately therebetween. The undepressed portions 34b effectively provide a continuously extending plane surface fully across the diameter of the central portion 31, at least satisfactory for the purposes intended herein, and further provide radially extending channels for egress of any sin-plusage of comestible from under the central portion 31 as has been referred to previously herein. It will be noted that in this embodiment, the lid 40 is not provided with a window.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, it is seen that these vacuum or pressure formed lids are equally effective to prevent interlocking, or partial nesting thereof when stacked within the magazine 21 of the lid dispenser 20. Moreover, as the push-bar 22 moves into and through the magazine 21, the lowermost lid 30a in the stack slides in lateral direction, out through the lid outlet opening 23, without interlocking or other interference with the lids 30b, 30c, etc., thereabove. Conversely, the overlying lids 30b, 30c cannot interfere with the sliding movement of the lowermost lid 3011. This non-interference between the lids in the stack is due to the provision in each lid of the annular ridge 34 which supports the lid with respect to an underlying lid, and insures that the lids slide freely in lateral direction one with respect to the other. As indicated in FIGURE 7, each ridge 34 slidably engages the top sheet 35 of the underlying lid or, as will be understood from FIGURE 8, will slidably engage the undepressed portion 34b of the underlying lid, so that the ridge cannot fall into the depression formed by the ridge of the underlying lid. Where the embodimentof FIGURE 8 is employed it is contemplated that, in the molding process, the lids which will ultimately lie adjacent to each other in the stacked arrangement will have their respective undepressed portions 341) spaced apart dissiimilarly so that their annular locations in the adjacent lidsjwill be displaced with respect to each other. Since a conventional mold is usually provided with a number of patterns for simultaneously forming a plurality of lids, this is easily accomplished in accordance with modern lid production and stacking methods.

Thus, a flush, snapover type lid, in several embodiments, has been described which accomplishes all of the objects of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A flush type snap-over lid for closing the mouth of a container having a peripherally extending and outward 'ly projecting head for engagement by said lid, said lid comprising a substantially flat portion defining a lid surface plane constituting substantially the upper surface of said lid, skirt means disposed uniformly about and depending from the periphery of said flat portion, said skirt means having a lower edge including an inwardly projecting bead and said skirt means having height to project only that distance below said lid surface plane whereby its said lower edge bead engages the underside of said outwardly projecting head of the container when said lid is on said container, and narrow-width ridge means within and disposed uniformly about said fiat portion and projecting below said lid surface plane a distance substantially equal to said distance of projection of said skirt means, said ridge means being disposed in spaced relation wit-h respect to said skirt means in direction towards the center of said lid to provide a peripherally extending channel region at the underside of said fiat portion for accommodating the mouth rim of said container in substantially out-of-engagement relationship, whereby said ridge means prevents nesting of said lid when stacked with other similar lids.

2. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 1 wherein said lid is of injection molded plastic material, said skirt means and said ridge means being formed integrally with said flat portion.

3. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 1 wherein said fiat portion includes on itsupper surface a peripherally extending top bead substantially adjacent the outer periphery of said flat portion and protruding a short distance thereabive, and said ridge means projects below said lid surface plane a distance substantially equal to said distance of projection of. said skirt means less said distance of protrusion of said top bead of the flat portion.

4. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 3 wherein said top head has a side surface facing inwardly towards the center of said lid, said side surface having a gradual slope towards the upper surface of said flat portion.

5. A flush type snap-over lid for closing the mouth of a container having a peripherally extending and outwardly projecting bead for engagement by said lid, said lid comprising a substantially flat portion of thermally formableplastic sheet material and defining a lid surface plane constituting substantially the upper surface of said lid, thermally formed skirt means integral with and disposed uniformly about and depending from the periphery of said flat portion, said skirt means having a lower edge portion including an inwardly projecting bead and said I skirt means having height to project onlythat distance below said lid surface plane whereby its said lower edge portion 'bead engages the underside of said outwardly projecting bead of the container when said lid is on said container, thermally formed narrow-width ridge means formed by depression of said substantially fiatportion from its upper surface and projecting below said lid surface plane a distance substantially equal to said distance of projection of said skirt means, said ridge means being disposed in spaced relation with respect'to said skirt means in direction towards the center of said lid to provide a a peripherally extending channel region at the underside of said fiat portion for accommodating the mouth rim of said container, and means providing an extension of said lid surface plane across said ridge means forming depression at the upper surface of said fiat portion, whereby said ridge means prevents nesting of said lid when stacked with other similar lids.

6. 'A flush type snap-over lid according 'to claim 5 wherein said means providing an extension of said lid surface plane comprises sheet material attached to'the upper surface of said flat portion and extending across said ridge means forming depression.

throughout the area thereof which is bounded by said.

ridge means forming depression but leaving a peripherally extending flange area within said lid surface plane and extending inwardly of said depression, and said means. providing an extension of said lid surface plane comprises top sheet material on and extending across the upper surface of said fiat portion including across said depression, said top sheet material being bonded to said flange area and to the area of said flat portion which lies outwardly of said ridge means forming-depression.

9. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 8 wherein said thermally formable plastic sheet material of said iiat portion has substantially uniform thickness which is equal to several times that of said top sheet material.

10. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 9 wherein said thermally formable plastic sheet material of said flat portion has thickness of about .020 inch, and

said top sheet material is plastic material having thickness of about .003 inch.

11. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim. 5 wherein said ridge means comprises a continuous, annularly extending depressed portion of said flat portion.

12. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 5 wherein said ridge means comprises a plurality of annularly extending and annularly spaced apart alternately depressed and undepressed portions of said flat portion.

13. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 1 wherein said ridge means comprises a continuous, annularly extending ridgeelem'ent. v I

14. A flush type snap-over lid according'to claim 1 wherein said ridge means comprises a plurality of annularly extending and annularly spaced apart ridge elements. 2 15. A flush type snap-over lid according to claim 14 wherein said plurality of annularly spaced apart ridge elements comprises a plurality of alternately depressed and undepressed portions of said fiat portion.

References Qited hythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS T HERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE I. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. A FLUSH TYPE SNAP-OVER LID FOR CLOSING THE MOUTH OF A CONTAINER HAVING A PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING AND OUTWARD LY PROJECTING BEAD FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID LID, SAID LID COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PORTION DEFINING A LID SURFACE PLANE CONSTITUTING SUBSTANTIALLY THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID LID, SKIRT MEANS DISPOSED UNIFORMLY ABOUT AND DEPENDING FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID FLAT PORTION, SAID SKIRT MEANS HAVING A LOWER EDGE INCLUDING AN INWARDLY PROJECTING BEAD AND SAID SKIRT MEANS HAVING HEIGHT TO PROJECT ONLY THAT DISTANCE BELOW SAID LID SURFACE PLANE WHEREBY ITS SAID LOWER EDGE BEAD ENGAGES THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID OUTWARDLY PROJECTING BEAD OF THE CONTAINER WHEN SAID LID IS ON SAID CONTAINER, AND NARROW-WIDTH RIDGE MEANS WITHIN AND DISPOSED UNIFORMLY ABOUT SAID FLAT PORTION AND PROJECTING BELOW SAID LID SURFACE PLANE A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO SAID DISTANCE OF PROJECTION OF SAID SKIRT MEANS, SAID RIDGE MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SKIRT MEANS IN DIRECTION TOWARDS THE CENTER OF SAID LID TO PROVIDE A PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING CHANNEL REGION AT THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FLAT PORTION FOR ACCOMMODATING THE MOUTH RIM OF SAID CONTAINER IN SUBSTANTIALLY OUT-OF-ENGAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP, WHEREBY SAID RIDGE MEANS PREVENTS NESTING OF SAID LID WHEN STACKED WITH OTHER SIMILAR LIDS. 